


Sudden Impact

by Kai517_TeenWriter



Series: RKG-Inspired Works (series name subject to change) [2]
Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Co-Ladies-In-Waiting, Dorks, F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Ultimatums
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2019-09-12 09:37:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16870561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai517_TeenWriter/pseuds/Kai517_TeenWriter
Summary: There was no way that things could ever go back to EXACTLY the way they had been before. It was too late to prevent everything that had happened, all the damage that had been done, and it was far too early to be able to tell what might happen in the future. But one thing felt almost certain in Cassandra's mind: whatever came at her and Varian, they could handle it... Together.





	1. PREFACE

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RKG](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKG/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Proven Useful](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13339593) by [RKG](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKG/pseuds/RKG). 
  * Inspired by [Negative Reactions (Sequel to Proven Useful)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13455816) by [RKG](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKG/pseuds/RKG). 



> Please note that this is simply BASED on RKG's stories Proven Useful and Negative Reactions. In all technicality, yes, this is a fanfiction of a fanfiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally... I don't know what. But I wanted to make sure that it made it into the story some way or other.

There was no way that things could ever go back to  _exactly_ the way they had been before. It was too late to prevent everything that had happened, and it was far too early to be able to tell what might happen in the future. But one thing felt almost certain in Cassandra's mind: whatever came at her and Varian, they could handle it... Together.

She was sharp and strong, while he was smart and caring. Apparently, that was a good combination.

Well, whatever it was that they had, it seemed to work. Granted, they had their rough patches, as all couples do: Cassandra still wasn't entirely on-board with the whole 'publicity' thing-- "I was fine with just you, me, Raps, and our fathers knowing about  _us_ ," she'd once confided to Varian, "and, by default, Eugene, too. But there's something about telling everyone else that'll take some getting used to"-- while Varian was still struggling with jealousy and overprotection.

But they were learning, and that was what truly mattered.


	2. PROLOGUE: Back to Normal... Ish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if you haven't read "Proven Useful" AND "Negative Reactions" yet, turn right around and read those first! I don't know how much sense this will make without you having read it, so... Yeah.  
> \-----  
> The draft for this has been sitting forever on paper at home, and then I got back to rewriting it and... To say that I'm pleased with it would be a pretty big understatement right now. XD

It was late at night when Cassandra noticed the figure standing in the courtyard, silhouetted by the gentle, silvery light of the moon. She smiled, closing her copy of  _The Warrior and the Wizard_ before grabbing her candle and quietly opening the door, slipping into the hallway. Swiftly, she snuck down the hall until she found the banister hanging on the wall... The most convenient passageway for her to use on a night such as tonight.

After following the dark, narrow passage for a little way, Cass emerged into the cool August evening. She breathed in, taking in the scent of freshly-cut grass, newly-laid soil, and the few flowers that were still in bloom.

Varian turned to face her, his entire demeanor changing almost as soon as he saw her. "Hey, there, Cassie."

She grinned, making her way over to him. Varian wrapped an arm around her waist, using his other hand to gently take the candle from her and place it on a nearby bench. Cass took his face in her hands, leaning in to kiss him. His other arm wrapped around her, holding her closer.

It felt nice to have time to themselves, especially after a long day of work. It hardly mattered what they did-- whether they sat and talked or took Maximus out for a walk in silence-- their time spent together was precious.

Their midnight rendezvous had become habit after nearly two years, and the routine had been nearly perfected after that time, too. Because they both worked full-time as palace staff now, they had to wait until  _at least_ ten each night before they were both free to meet in the castle's west courtyard. Often, Varian got there first, but he only ever had to wait for a few minutes at most before he was joined by Cassandra. Then he'd greet her with a hug and a kiss-- sometimes, the kiss would only last for a few seconds, while other times, it lasted pretty long; it all depended on whether or not he wanted to talk about something right away or not-- and then they would take a seat on one of the benches and talk for as long as they could.

And tonight, there was something that was obviously weighing down on Varian.

He sat down on 'their bench' and Cass followed suit, sitting right next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder before taking his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together and closing her eyes. Varian smiled and pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. They sat like that for a minute or two before Varian spoke.

"Cassie?"

"Mmmm?"

He gave a small chuckle. "Tonight, I wanted to talk... Well, I wanted to talk about  _us_. About... About where we might want to go from here."

Cass curiously opened one eye, but unable to see much and unwilling to move in order to see the man she loved, closed it just as quickly before moving closer to him. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, wrapping his arm around her, "what's going to become of all this, Cassandra?"

Cassandra froze, almost immediately seeing where Varian was going with this. She had known that he was in it for the long haul-- he had, after all, come as close to proposing as one could get without actually proposing, and only a short time into their relationship, too-- but... Were they ready for such a thing as  _marriage_? Was she prepared to face the future? Because, even with him at her side, the future was an intimidating thing.

Either way, ready or not, she knew that they couldn't just sit around and let things just remain as they were. In a conversation she'd had with her father, she had learned that it was best to either commit to or drop a relationship as soon as she possibly could, and, while she thought that it was obvious by the fact that she'd chosen to stay with Varian for over a year now, Cass knew that she had to come clean. It was the moment of truth. It was time to admit everything on her heart and mind.

"Varian," she said softly, squeezing his hand, "let me be honest here, okay?"

"Of course, Cassie."

She smiled a little. "I don't know what'll become of this. What'll become of  _us._ But... I don't think that's something that should stop us. I know that I'm committed to this relationship, and... I'm more than willing to see what's in store for us."

He grinned. "Good. Because I was thinking, and I remembered that I never got an answer. When... When I kind of asked you to... You know. To marry me?"

She nodded, finally moving so that she could see him face-to-face. "You're looking for an answer now?"

Varian tilted his hand from side-to-side. "Sorta. It also hit me that I never gave you a  _proper_ proposal or anything, so..."

He stood up, pulling Cassandra with him. As soon as she was standing, he knelt down, not letting go of her hands. Even though she technically knew what was going to happen, her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat.

"Cassandra," he murmured softly, brushing a light kiss on her knuckles, "you know by now how I feel about you, how much I love you. Cass, you are an amazing, wonderful person, and I am  _so_ lucky to have you in my life, especially to have you as my girlfriend. The past year and a half with you has been  _amazing_ , and it makes me want so much more. I want to be at your side for the rest of my life, through all things. So... Cassie, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

She didn't necessarily know how to respond. She knew how she felt about it, and she knew what she wanted to say. But... It just didn't seem right to respond in an overused, cliche way. She wanted to be as genuine as she could possibly be. So, on some sort of instinct, she knelt down in front of him, still holding his hands in hers. Varian's eyes widened a little and he looked at her inquisitively.

Cass just nodded a little, smiling softly as she gazed into his eyes. "Yes, Varian... I'd love to marry you!"

He grinned, reaching to brush some stray hair out of Cassandra's face before pulling her in for a kiss. She gave in, savoring the feeling that only Varian made her feel. Relishing in the fact that she was his. She was  _his_. And that was a fact that wasn't about to change anytime soon.


	3. ONE: Telltale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, among other things, Cassandra is given an ultimatum of sorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in our "gothic literature" unit in English... So, I thought "hey, why not put a Poe reference in the chapter title?"  
> Anyways, this one took a little while... Eight pages of multimedia template on my phone which translated into just about double on paper... It's a little insane. But I hope you enjoy this! It was SO much fun getting to write the ladies once again, and this chapter... It was just a ton of fun to write, which is what writing SHOULD be about instead of crazy deadlines and other such things, you know?

"Ooh!" Debra squealed excitedly as Cassandra took a seat across from her and took out some mending, "details, please!"

Cass snorted, hardly bothering with looking at Deb. "Details? On  _what_?"

The other ladies leaned in eagerly, having taken great interest in whatever it was that had managed to catch Debra's eye.

"On the  _ring,_ of course," she replied, pointing at Cass's hand, "you didn't have it yesterday at dinner, but you have it now. Explain."

Cassandra had to smile. As much as the gossip and chatter of the other ladies drove her up the wall at times, she knew now that they genuinely cared for her and, although she wasn't the biggest fan, constantly peppering her with questions was the best means they had of understanding her and her story, so that they might be able to become thoroughly invested.

(They were also some of the biggest supporters of her relationship with Varian, which was nice for the most part).

"Well..." she began, setting down her mending before focusing on the other three (Debra, Jane, and Ethel; all of whom were focused on the thin, indigo-colored band on her finger: concentrated Cassandrium), "last night, Varian popped the question. And... I said yes."

Jane squealed in delight, though the other two fixed Cass with sharp, calculating gazes.

"C'mon, Cass," Debra pleaded, even as Cassandra began doing her work, "that's not the whole story and you know it. Spill."

Cass shrugged. "What more is there to tell?"

"Well, there's the  _exact_ details, such as the exact time of evening, or the place, or exactly what the two of you were doing when he proposed..."

"Does your father know?" Jane butted in, "or the princess?  _Or anyone?_ "

As much as Cassandra wanted to keep the details to herself, she knew that it was of no use trying to keep secrets from her fellow ladies of the court. Their hunger for gossip was insatiable, and maybe once they knew as much as Cass would provide about it all, they'd leave her alone and finally allow her to get on with her work.

"Eleven-thirty or so," she replied crisply, keeping it to the extreme basics, "the west courtyard. We just sat on a bench and talked for a minute or so before he brought it up. As for everyone who knows... The four of us. Varian, of course. And, yes, my father."

Now Ethel's interest was piqued. "How did you end up telling  _him_?"

"I didn't need to do anything, really," Cass admitted with a shrug, "a few nights ago, Varian asked his permission to ask for my hand. So, yeah, Dad knew it was coming sooner or later. He's just surprised that it came  _now_ instead of terribly sooner."

The ladies laughed a little. And then there was a knock at the door before it opened slightly and Pete poked his head inside.

"Cassandra!" he exclaimed loudly before pausing in order to regain control over his voice and its volume, "erm, Lord Commandress. The captain wishes to see you in the strategy room. He said... He said that there's something he'd like to discuss with you?"

His voice had risen considerably, suggesting that maybe,  _just maybe_ , poor Pete had forgotten the exact purpose.

Cass had to stifle a laugh and maintain her cool as she replied, "gotcha. Thanks, Pete."

He gave her a slight, awkward bow before exiting the room. Cassandra reached to start picking up her mending, but Ethel stopped her.

"Don't you worry about it, Cass," she assured, "we'll clean it up for you, have it sent up to your chambers if you want."

"Yeah, Cass," Debra chimed in, "we've got your back."

Cass couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, guys."

"You're welcome," Jane piped up, "oh, and we nearly forgot: congratulations."

* * *

Cassandra took a deep breath before knocking on the door to the strategy room. She'd had this job for  _years_ , and she'd been training with the guards for even longer than that. But for whatever reason, she always felt pretty nervous every time that she was sent for or called upon.

"Come on in, Cassandra."

She opened the door slowly before entering. Her father sat next to the big strategy table, looking over his little layout of Corona and the guard figures that were scattered all throughout it.

"Hey, Dad."

(She figured that, based on the fact that he had used her name instead of her title, she was in for a more personal conversation, making it seem more appropriate to address him as her father instead of her workplace superior).

"Come on in," he said, waving her over.

She did as she was told, closing the door behind her and taking a seat across from him. Studying the map, she smiled as her eyes fell on one of the figures, the one that Rapunzel had taken and painted to look as much like Cass as a figurine could.

"Cass," he began, "I'd like to speak with you-- just a few moments, okay?"

Cassandra nodded, already forming a theory as to where this was going. Every so often, over the past year and a half or so, he would pull her and/or Varian aside to talk. (Though, Cass had to admit, he pulled Varian aside more often than he did to her; Varian himself admitted to her that it was normally just warnings and such). So, yeah, she was pretty surprised by the next words he said.

"Some people-- I'm not going to give any names-- think that it might be best if you dropped one of your jobs."

It took Cass a little while to regain her composure after  _that_ remark. "I-- what?"

He sighed a little, tenting his fingers before repeating himself. "Some people think that it might be best if you made the decision to drop one of your jobs. It's nothing against you, Cass-- you're among the best when it comes to members of the guard, and the king, queen, and princess have nothing short of the highest praise for you."

Cass, feeling a sudden surge of pride, sat a little taller, straightening her shoulders and allowing herself a small smile.

"But maintaining  _two jobs_? It seems a little much, especially considering the fact that you're going to be a married woman soon. It might be best if you... Lighten your load."

Cass's shoulders slumped a little. "Dad..."

"Cassandra," he said sternly, "a decision must be made. By you. And soon."

She looked forlornly at the 'Cassandra' figure once more. "Yes, sir."

* * *

"Hey, Ruddiger?"

Varian's raccoon buddy chittered in positive response, and the royal alchemist grinned. The closest thing he'd had to a best friend over the past few years-- far too many of them for him to count, in all honesty-- and it was a freaking raccoon. But, hey, Ruddy  _had_ stayed by his side through thick and thin, and he  _was_ family, too... Even Cassandra agreed on that one.

"Could you do me a favor, buddy?" Varian asked him, "grab me that big beaker over there?"

More affirmative chirps came as Ruddiger hurried across the room to retrieve the beaker. As soon as he got it, he turned right back around and jumped into his human's lap, placing the beaker on the desk. Varian thanked him, scratching the coon behind the ears.

Minutes passed, and yet Varian made no move to stop lovin' on his furry friend and get back to work. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Cassandra, as it so often was nowadays.

Especially considering that, for the past month or so, he'd been preoccupied with the question of  _when the heck am I actually going to propose to her?_ That question had been on his mind since he had asked for-- and been given-- permission to propose to her. (He figured that, since he'd already messed up  _so much_ in the past, it was the very least that he could do to ask for her father's permission).

And now that he'd done it, and she'd responded positively, he found that it was near impossible to rein his mind back in.

Ruddiger chittered once again, nudging Varian's palm with his nose.

Varian chuckled a little. "Sorry 'bout that, bud. Just... Can't get Cassandra out of my head right now. Can't focus."

Just then, the door opened behind him, unannounced. Varian turned around, somewhat frustrated with the prospect of having yet  _another_ distraction from his work. The prince stood silhouetted in the doorway, a friendly smirk on his face.

"Hey, kid," he said, pointing at the empty chair across the desk from Varian, "may I have a seat?"

"Ummm... Sure," Varian consented after a moment of hesitation, "yeah, why don't you?"

Eugene took a seat, smiling serenely as he picked up the beaker that Ruddiger had just brought over and inspecting it closely.

"You know that was just in my raccoon's mouth, right?"

Eugene practically dropped the beaker in shock, but quickly regained his composure, calmly putting it back down.

"Why are you here, Eugene?" Varian asked suddenly, "aren't there... Better places for you to be?"

He didn't want to sound rude, like he was trying to brush the prince away, but at the same time, he didn't necessarily feel like having company at that very moment.

Eugene readjusted himself, swinging his leg up so that he was sitting partly cross-legged. "I just wanted to check in with my favorite royal alchemist."

Varian rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Anything... More specific?"

"Oh, nothing much," he replied casually, yet again reaching for the nearest thing-- a vial-- full of one of Varian's compounds-- and twirling it between his finger and thumb, "but... What did you do to Cass?"

Varian snatched the vial out of Eugene's hand. "What did I  _do_?"

Eugene nodded. Yes. What did you do? She's been acting kind of off lately-- ever since right after the entire 'necromancy' ordeal-- she's been smiling. Actually  _smiling_. And it just went from crazy to super-intense over the course of the past few hours. What the heck happened?!"

Varian smiled to himself. While he had been aware of Eugene's general dislike of Cass-- something which she reciprocated; the arguments and antics that their mutual dislike caused often ended up bringing constant entertainment to at least Varian-- he had  _not_ realized that the prince took such notice of her actions and/or emotions.

And he hadn't known that Cass had actually been that...  _Happy_ since, as the prince had put it, the 'necromancy ordeal.' And, by the sounds of it, it was all because of _him_.

His newfound sense of purpose alone made him feel proud. Hearing things like this-- and, of course, drawing conclusions from things he heard every now and again-- really reinforced the feeling for him.

"And..." Eugene added, tilting his head a little to the side as he studied Varian, "you seem to be a little high on happiness, too.  _You._ _Crazy Cobra Lady._ Just...  _What the heck is going on with you two right now?_ "

Varian chuckled a little, shaking his head. "Is it really that obvious? Our happiness?"

"To someone who knows how much of a downer Cassandra is,  _yes_."

... And  _there_ was the jab at Cass's character. While Varian had been expecting it to happen, as it almost always did in a conversation with Eugene, he didn't exactly take to it lightly.

To Varian, it was one thing to watch the two bicker and debate-- at least Cassandra was there, using her quick wit to turn the tables to simultaneously defend her honor and insult the other party-- but quite another for the prince to say it (and so casually, too!) in such a normal, everyday conversation.

"Be careful what you say about her, Eugene," Varian hissed, his tone suggesting an underlying threat, "that  _is_ my future wife you're talking about."

" _A-HA!"_ Eugene exclaimed excitedly, pointing at Varian triumphantly, "I  _knew it!_ You're planning on asking her to marry you, aren't you?"

Varian fought  _so hard_ not to facepalm. But his self-restraint still wasn't the best thing.

"Eugene. I told you that!  _Weeks ago!_ "

"Oh."

Varian took a deep breath in, using both hands to pet Ruddiger again (another attempt at self-restraint on his part). "But, for the record, I... I did it. I asked her. Last night."

He could see Eugene's internal struggle play out across his face: as much as he didn't like Cassandra, the prince (after a lot of time spent avoiding the alchemist as best as he possibly could) had kind of taken Varian under his wing. Often enough, this meant that he had to listen to tales of the kid's love life... Which involved Cassandra.

Finally, Eugene gave an encouraging smile. "Oh, yeah? How'd it go?"

"Well, you can imagine how it went," Varian replied, unable to keep the shortness out of his tone, "considering the fact that I  _just_ referred to her as my future wife. And do you  _really_ think that I'd be this happy-seeming if she'd said no? Or if she broke it off or something?"

Eugene nodded a little, seeming to be considering Varian's points for the first time in a genuine light. And then... He stood up.

"Wait," Varian said, holding up a hand in a manner that was clearly meant to stop the prince from leaving, "is that seriously  _all_ you came for?"

"Yeah," Eugene replied, clearly not realizing that there was a wrong answer to that question.

And he had just given it.

Varian shook his head a little, realizing that, perhaps it was best if he just let the prince be. For now, at least. Eugene had a curious, inquisitive soul-- didn't they all?-- and he'd been curious about this. It was all the information he'd needed.

Besides, hadn't Varian  _just_ been hoping for some alone time?

It was hardly something he could take as an insult, all things considered, nothing to make a huge fuss over.

Nothing like the accusation of necromancy.

"Okay, then," he agreed, "see you later, Eugene."


	4. TWO: Ultimatum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me forever to put this up...
> 
> I'll go through and format this later. (I'm on my phone now, as opposed to my usual method of typing and posting using my school-issued device).

How hard is it to keep an entire palace quiet about your personal affairs?

Apparently,  _very_ hard, considering the fact that once Eugene knew what was going on, he didn't know how to keep his trap shut. So, yes, Varian shouldn't have been terribly surprised at the fact that, by the end of the day, over half of the entire palace knew that he and Cassandra were officially engaged.

What got to Varian about the whole thing was the fact that he didn't have the chance to tell Cassandra that he'd let it slip to Eugene.

And, obviously, the fact that the prince couldn't keep quiet. About anything.

"Well, I just blew it."

Varian spun around so fast, neon green solution went flying across the lab, landing on-- and partially disintegrating-- some notes he'd had lying around. Cassandra immediately jumped into action, picking up the papers and checking the table for any major damage. Deciding that nothing had gone terribly wrong, she nodded in satisfaction and put everything back down.

"Those might need some updating," she commented dryly, "there's big, gaping holes in their centers."

Varian chuckled, carefully putting down the vial he'd been holding. "No worries there; they were in dire need of replacement anyways. But I'm curious now. What do you mean when you say that you 'blew it'?"

Cass crossed the room, pulling a spare stool over to Varian's desk. Sitting down and propping her elbows on the surface of the desk, she began to explain just how she had blown it.

* * *

"You don't even seem mad that I told some of the biggest gossips in the palace. Why?"

Varian contemplated lying and telling Cassandra that he wasn't even surprised that she had let it slip in front of the other ladies, or making up some other crap story like that, but he knew she'd never buy it. Besides, he felt an obligation to tell her the truth. (After all they'd been through, everything that had transpired starting about five years ago, he figured-- no, he KNEW-- that, at the very least, Cass deserved complete and honest truth from him).

So, instead, he took a deep breath before replying. "The prince stopped by earlier. And... I kind of let it slip."

"You told Eugene."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't an exclamation. In fact, there was hardly any inflection or emotion in that simple phrase. Cass's voice was terribly even, sounding almost like it did whenever she was trying to hide emotion from others.

Varian ducked his head slightly, looking as if he knew the truth and the implications that cane with telling it. Finally, he sighed, accepting defeat.

"Yes."

Cassandra bit back a laugh. "And you think you're in trouble because of that?"

Varian nodded and Cass let out a loud snort. Sometimes, his naivete could be a little too much for her... He thought he was in trouble with her, and the idea was enough to simply crack her up.

"So... Am I in trouble or something?" Varian asked, "I'll admit, I'm kind of getting mixed signals here."

Cass shook her head firmly, trying to convey without words that no, of course Varian wasn't in trouble. But she didn't open her mouth, afraid that if she did, she'd burst into uncontrollable laughter... And be completely unable to stop herself. She didn't want to do that; not this time, at least. Varian was someone she deeply cared about-- she wasn't the type to say 'yes' to a marriage proposal from ANYONE, after all-- and she had no wish to hurt his feelings.

Varian had such a kind and tender soul-- he had done SO MUCH to help Cass in the past, on one occasion even going as far as to offer himself up as dragon bait in her place-- but that also meant that he easily bruised. And Cass didn't want to hurt him.

Not again.

"Okay. Not in trouble. Good."

There was silence, enough to make even the most certain people waver in their confidence. One look at Varian's expression--- showing what appeared to be GENUINE RELIEF-- was enough to send Cass over the edge of hysterics.

Thankfully, though, Varian didn't seem to be insulted by the fact that she was laughing.

He knew that some of his fears-- even the smaller fears, such as the fear of getting in trouble with Cass-- were irrational, and he recognized the fact that some of them were also extremely stupid. In fact, he acknowledged that some of his fears were really just downright humorous.

He began to smile a little, realizing just how stupid he must've sounded.

And, suddenly, all of the tension that had previously been in the room dissipated. It was just a young man and his fiancee, laughing together. Nothing seemed wrong in the world. Nothing WAS wrong.

All that mattered in the world-- to him, at least-- was Cassandra, and so long as she wasn't mad at him, he was fine.

And then Cass stopped laughing. It was so abrupt, as if she had just been reminded of something unpleasant... So unpleasant that it went and put a damper on her entire good mood.

"Cassie?" Varian asked, gently touching her forearm, "are... Are you alright?"

She began to trace large circles on the floor with her foot. "It's... Not important."

"If it's put you in such a bad mood in such a short amount of time, I'd consider it to be fairly important."

Cass groaned. Of COURSE he was worried about her now; he was a wonderful man, of course, and she loved him to death, but... He sometimes took the role of "doting boyfriend/fiance" WAY too seriously.

"You ARE mad I told Eugene."

"Of course not," she said quietly, "I'm just... Slightly frustrated."

He moved his stool a little closer to hers, taking her hands in his. "Why?"

"Earlier today, I... I was basically told that I should pick which job I prefer. My dad-- and possibly other people-- thinks that I'm spreading myself thin when it comes to my careers."

"Well, that should be easy," Varian said, "I mean, I think that pretty much EVERYONE knows which job brings you the most joy: the one you've worked for most of your entire life."

Cass smiled a little, though there was a touch of sadness in the facial expression. "Yes, but... Part of who I am is lady-in-waiting to the princess. She's my best friend, and I already screwed things up by not being there for her wedding..."

"An incident that was completely NOT YOUR FAULT," Varian reminded her, "the responsibility lies solely with Merowech... That snake."

Cass chuckled a little. "Not gonna argue there. But still..."

"You'd miss her. If you gave up THAT job, that is."

Cass nodded. There was so much that was keeping her from making an immediate decision over the matter of her future career. She don't work so hard for so long in order to obtain the role of lord commandress... And she enjoyed being in that position. She got to be here brutal, bossy self and she hardly got judged by the others for how she acted. She was just another one the boys.

But, as she had learned the hard way, bad things happened to even the best of soldiers while in the heat of battle.

On the other hand, she had never asked for the role of lady-in-waiting. While she had been a lady of the court for many years before Rapunzel's return, her ascent to the role of the princess's lady-in-waiting was completely unprecedented in just about everyone's eyes. She hadn't liked it at first, but the job had slowly grown on her, as had the princess herself. If she were to quit this job, there would be a higher chance that she'd rarely see Raps... That she'd miss out on other milestones in her best friend's life. Missing out on the wedding was bad enough; how would she feel if she was out fighting-- or worse, severely injured-- and missed out on other important things?

Varian squeezed Cass's hand gently. "Hey. If you ever want to just... Talk it over. You know where to find me."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"I love you, Cassie," he murmured, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead, "and I want you to choose what YOU want, what YOU think is best. Don't make your decision based on what others say, or how you think they'll react. Alright? Promise me AT LEAST that."

"Alright, alright!" she laughed, "I promise!"


	5. THREE: Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeesh... Not my best work. BUT it took six multimedia pages on my other phone, and I need to post it here before I trash it.

Rapunzel squealed out loud when she saw the ring on Cassandra's finger. Call her overly enthusiastic, but she WAS genuinely excited for her best friend. She was truly glad that Cass had found 'the guy' for her, and now...

"You're getting married!"

Cass snorted. "No kidding. The entire castle knows about it, after all."

"Hey, I'M getting better," Rapunzel retorted, "a lot of people probably came up to congratulate you yesterday. But I realized that my best friend probably wouldn't appreciate it if I came along and began to annoy her about it."

Cass had to admit that the princess had a bit of a point there. She WAS getting better at the entire 'getting overly excited over the smallest of things, some of which hardly even matter and might not even be true' thing... Well, up until the point when something was confirmed for her. Then it was practically a free-for-all.

"I suppose you're right," Cass admitted after a moment, "sorry. I'm just feeling a little..."

"Distracted?" Rapunzel offered, "I mean, I felt that way a lot when I was first engaged to Eugene."

Cass contemplated this. 'Distracted' was a good word for it, but she highly doubted that the princess meant it in the way that her lady-in-waiting felt it. After all, Rapunzel had always been destined to be the future queen of Corona... Nothing would change that now that she was here, as she had been for the past five or six years now. But for Cass... Her path wasn't written in stone like Rapunzel's was.

Cassandra had to FIGHT in order to forge the path that she wanted to take, and by the time that she got it... Some things had changed drastically. Things changed even AFTER she got what she had wanted her entire life. She had PLUMMETED OFF THE SIDE OF MOUNT SAISON, only to be rescued by the man who, unbeknownst to her, she would eventually fall in love with.

Though everything had turned out alrught, that entire experience still scared the living daylights out of Cassandra.

Every time she donned the uniform that told the world that she was Corona's Lord Commandress, she put herself in the line of fire... And quite a few people would be more than willing to take any opportunity given in order to take out such a crucial figure.

She hadn't realized just how fragile her life was until then. She had always just shut out the world, willing to give her all for king and country. But her near-death experience-- though, technically, she HAD died twice-- had helped to open her eyes to many new thoughts and ideas, including the fact that there were people out there who CARED for her, who LOVED her... Her loss would greatly devastate those people.

And, of course, that experience had also led to her missing Rapunzel and Eugene's wedding. That was something that she couldn't take back, no matter how much she wished she could.

But was that enough for her to simply... Give up on what she had worked so hard for?

"Cass?" Rapunzel asked, concern lacing her voice, "are you alright?"

Cassandra nodded, flushing a little. "Of course. I'm fine."

Rapunzel could tell that SOMETHING was on her friend's mind, though she chose not to comment. The princess had learned, slowly but surely, that her best friend and lady-in-waiting didn't like to be pressured into speaking, especially when it concerned feelings. Cass just wasn't a terribly open person; there were very few times that Rapunzel could EVER remember Cassandra allowing others to see even the slightest bit of vulnerability within her. And she had learned to accept the fact.

"I'm happy for you," Rapunzel said after a moment or two, "you and Varian. You two... You seem to have found something special with each other."

Cassandra smiled. "Yeah... We have."

And it was true. No matter what she chose to do with her life, she would have Varian at her side. She had someone who loved and accepted her for who she was, and not for the choices she had already made, or had yet to make.

Not that she NEEDED someone's love and approval. But nevertheless, now that she had it... It felt good, and she would never let it go.

* * *

"Dad!" Varian exclaimed when he opened the lab door, "I-- what are you doing here? You're early!"

'Two days early,' he thought, but didn't add.

Quirin just chuckled, stepping past his son in order to enter the room. "Maybe I just wanted to spend a little bit of time with my son."

Varian smiled. He was always glad for some quality time with his father, especially after the entire 'trapped-in-amber' thing.

"It's nearly lunchtime," Quirin observed, "doesn't Cassandra usually join you for lunch?"

"Yeah, she does. She'll be a few minutes, though."

And then he froze. Should he tell his father that they were engaged now? It hardly seemed fair to him that Quirin should be out of the loop, especially on that one. So, yeah... He should tell him.

But how?

'Varian, stop overthinking it,' he chided himself, 'all you're doing is telling your father that you got engaged; it can't be any harder than when you actually proposed to Cassandra, after all...'

"You know... We're actually engaged now," Varian said after a moment or two of awkward silence, "Cass and I, that is."

Quirin's eyes widened. "You're... You're being serious right now? You and Cassandra... You're actually getting married?"

"Yeah. I... I am."

There was something about THIS conversation-- him telling his father that he was going to get married-- that made Varian pause to think for a moment or two. All of a sudden, it became all the more real to him. He and Cassandra were ENGAGED. They had yet to set a date (or figure out ANY details, really), but some day or other, she would become his WIFE. And, likewise, he would be her husband.

In the past, the thought had been surreal. It had been enough to simply be her FRIEND. Even just yesterday, when he had proposed to her, or earlier today, when he had accidentally told Eugene... It was almost as if he had been discussing a vague possibility with everyone.

And now, it suddenly felt so REAL. He was going to marry the love of his life...

Quirin smiled. "That's wonderful, my boy! Congratulations."

"Thanks, Dad," Varian said, "that... Means a lot to me."

* * *

As a way of celebrating her best friend's engagement, Rapunzel coerced Cassandra into joining her for lunch at the Snuggly Duckling.  She was starving, and besides, some celebratory drinks were in order.

Rapunzel ordered them each a drink and some chicken before they took a seat at one of the tables in a corner.

Both women were fairly surprised when, a few minutes later, a young woman came along with the food and drinks. The woman appeared to be somewhere between Cassandra's age and Rapunzel's, and she had grey-blue eyes and elbow-length blonde hair that was pulled up in a single braid.

"Who are you?" Rapunzel asked, unable to contain her curiosity, "I've been here plenty of times, but I don't recognize YOU."

"Me?" the woman asked, setting the items down, "the name's Tess."

Rapunzel smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Tess. I'm--"

"The princess, I know. My brother's talked about how often you show up here."

"Your brother?"

Tess motioned across the room to where the thugs sat listening to get another of Big Nose's sappy, romantic poems. "Nose over there's my brother."

"Really?" Cass asked, raising an eyebrow, "your brother is BIG NOSE?"

Tess nodded. "He's my older brother, yes."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing it."

"You probably look nothing like any of YOUR siblings, now, do you?"

Cass snorted. "I don't HAVE any siblings."

"But if you DID," Tess tried, "it's not like they're going to look EXACTLY like you."

Rapunzel shot a glance at her friend. "Cass..."

"What?" Cass snapped, "I honestly don't see it."

Tess's expression suddenly became very closed off, almost like stone. "Enjoy your meal."

* * *

"Cassandra, you know you didn't have to do that back there."

Cass groaned. "It's something that I can't necessarily HELP, Raps. You know that."

"I also know that you're hardly ever like this anymore," Rapunzel said,  stopping in the middle of the path and putting a comforting hand on her friend's forearm, "not unless you're super-stressed or... Well, you know."

Cass snorted, gently shaking her arm from Rapunzel's grasp. "I'm fine. Just... I can be stubborn at tines, okay? Everyone knows that."

"I'm... Not arguing that point; I'm just saying that you were pretty rude back there."

Cass sighed. She knew that Rapunzel was doing. The princess, being the kindest, sweetest person in the entire world, was trying to pressure her into crumbling, one way or another. Whether it was to apologize for how she had treated Tess or if it was to get her to tell the princess just WHAT she was going through... While Cass had no idea, she knew that her friend wouldn't shut up until one thing or the other happened.

"I'm... Sorry. I'm just, y'know-- I'm kinda stressed about this entire ' getting married to Varian' thing."

Rapunzel smiled kindly at Cass. "I understand. I was stressed and nervous before my wedding, too..."

'I probably made things a whole lot worse,' Cass reflected bitterly, 'having potentially DIED just before said wedding.'

She had been told about the memorial service that had been held in her honor just before the royal wedding... Literally, RIGHT BEFORE IT.

And, suddenly, she felt even MORE guilty about having missed her best friend's wedding to her worst frenemy.

Rapunzel saw the look on Cassandra's face and chuckled a little. "It's fine, Cass. You know, we probably wouldn't be where we are right now if... You know."

"If I hadn't been hit by a flaming arrow and  tumbled off the side of Mount Saison, being rescued by Varian and eventually falling in love with him and also being accused of being a member of his undead army?"

"Yeah... That."

Cass laughed a little, suddenly seeming a little less stressed. "I suppose you're right, Raps."

Rapunzel's face suddenly lit up and she nudged Cass with her elbow. "Hey. Last one home's a rotten egg!"

"Oh, you're on!"


	6. FOUR: Old Habits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than other chapters, and the second half is entirely Tess-centric. The first half is... Meh.
> 
> Please forgive me for this. Please.

"Cassandra!" Varian exclaimed, "where were you during lunch today?"

Cass mentally slapped herself.  _That's_ what she had forgotten.

"I am  _so_ sorry, Var," she replied, "Raps took me out to the Duckling for celebratory lunch and drinks today. I forgot to let you know. Sorry."

Varian smiled kindly at her. "It's alright; you didn't even miss that much."

"I didn't 'miss that much'?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow, "that implies that something actually  _happened_ in the first place."

"Yeah... About that."

"What?"

Varian rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "My dad's here... Two days early."

Cass groaned slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Well, then," Cass said after a moment, speaking in a decisive tone, "that's alright, I suppose. It only means that we'll need to readjust the already-loose schedule that we had for the next few days."

Varian blinked. "We had a schedule?"

"A very loose one, yes. One that mainly consisted of us having conversations about wedding plans and, possibly, the entire 'career choice' dilemma I've got going on right now."

Varian chuckled a little, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "We can always have those conversations, Cassie. Whenever you want."

She smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you."

"It's what I'm here for," he replied, kissing her temple, "to talk and listen. Always."

Cass grinned before suddenly deadpanning. "Where  _is_ your dad, by the way?"

"Geez, Cass," Quirin's voice teased from the doorway, "can't a man use the restroom?"

She stood up to hug her fiance's father. "I was just curious, Quirin."

"How have you been, my dear?"

Cass smiled a little. "I've been doing great, actually. How about you?"

Quirin sighed. "Still recovering. If we're talking about me as a representative of Old Corona, though, I'm proud to say that this year's crops are looking and faring much better than any others that I can remember."

"That's good to hear."

She could honestly care less about the crops, but if someone wished to discuss it around her, she would listen. Especially if that 'someone' was her future father-in-law.

"You're still recovering?" Varian butted in suddenly, "you're... You're still having those nightmares about being trapped?"

Quirin nodded solemnly. "Indeed. And I suspect that they won't be going away anytime soon, either."

"Dad, really," Varian said, tone suddenly becoming very serious and concerned, "why don't you go to a doctor about this? See if we can get something done about this?"

"They'd probably send me to some hypnotist or other. And I refuse to pay some loonies a fortune for something which, more than likely, will not work."

Varian could see his father's point there. But still, it hardly seemed fair that his father should suffer the consequences from something that had happened so long ago... Something that was  _his_ fault.

"It'd be worth a shot, Dad," he retorted, "and maybe they  _will_ refer you to some hypnotist or some other 'professional' who's completely off their rocker. But I think that this... This situation is something worth having a professional word on."

Quirin sighed heavily, looking at his son. Despite the fact that Varian was now a full-grown adult, all that Quirin could see was the eight-year-old boy with wide, curious blue eyes. The kid who wanted to know everything about everything and wouldn't stop asking questions until he was completely satisfied. The kid who took after his mother far more than Quirin would care to admit...

"Dad?"

Again, Quirin sighed. "I still don't see the point, son..."

At this point, he found himself face-to-face with both his concerned son  _and_ his son's concerned fiancee.

"Alright, alright!" he gave in, raising his hands in surrender, "I'll go see what the physician in Old Corona says."

Varian frowned deeply, crossing his arms. "You're just going to dismiss whatever they say as soon as they say it... If you even go to see them at all. You're going to see someone  _here_ , and I'm coming with you."

Cass blinked, watching the exchange with mild curiosity. Varian hardly  _ever_ put his foot down on  _any_ matter, but now... He was being quite adamant about this situation.

Quirin also blinked in surprise at the sudden display of stubbornness on Varian's part, but a slight smile crossed his face after a moment or two.

"You drive a hard bargain," he said, "but, if it means  _that_ much to you... Fine."

* * *

"So... What did the physician say?" Cassandra asked quietly, gazing at the palace, which was encased in shadow, "is your dad...?"

"He's fine. He'll  _be_ fine. He just... Needs a therapist for a little while."

Cass let out a small sigh of relief. "Could be worse."

Varian nodded a little, though he didn't exactly seem to be thoroughly convinced on the matter. "I suppose you're right, Cassie. It's just... Dad's never going to be the same again, and it's all my fault. I studied and experimented with the rocks, even when I knew that I wasn't supposed to. I spilled that solution all over the rocks on accident. I created the amber..."

He was working himself up into a panic, and Cass didn't like it. She put her hand on top of his, lacing her fingers through his.

"Varian," she murmured, "it was an  _accident._ You couldn't have known what would happen."

" _But I could have prevented it, had I not been so stubborn!"_ he shouted, "Cassie, my stubbornness nearly cost me  _my father._ It definitely cost me a few years with him... And now, I'm not even certain that he's ever going to be the same again."

Varian sighed deeply, trying his hardest not to let his emotions show too much. But a few stray tears made their way down his face regardless of his attempts.

"Varian... Nobody's ever going to be the same as they were before. As much as we wish otherwise, we're all changing from minute to minute. And it's our choices, how we choose to react to that, that form our character."

Varian smiled a little. "Like your choice to stand up for yourself--  _and_ for me-- at my near-execution."

"Or  _your_ choice to take on the dragon," she replied, gently nudging his knee with hers, " _or_ your father's choice to jump in the way of the growing amber in order to save you."

Varian frowned. As much as he wanted to disagree with Cass on this point, he  _couldn't_. His father had never necessarily been a risk-taker, but when it came to the safety of those that he loved... He couldn't help but throw himself in the line of fire.

And, as much as Varian hated the fact, it  _did_ show him just how much he meant to his dad... Enough that he would willingly risk his life and sanity for him. While that fact made him slightly more comfortable about where exactly he stood with his dad, it also made him feel rather guilty. How had he gone for so long without truly  _appreciating_ his father, all that he had done, all that he  _would_ do?

Cassandra wrapped an arm around Varian's shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. "It'll be fine, Varian. Everything's going to be okay."

 _Maybe it will be okay,_ he thought bitterly,  _but it hardly seems fair._

But he said nothing, instead simply returning Cass's hug as he thought things through.

* * *

Tess hated cleaning up at the Snuggly Duckling. With the type of crowd it brought in, it seemed a miracle that she could even clean the area at all.

Most everyone had gone home at this point, though, which was a small blessing. She was now allowed time alone with her thoughts. No interruptions.

"What are we thinkin' about tonight, Tess?" a voice called from across the pub, "are we thinking about escaping this place once and for all? Or about today's special? Oh, how about how handsome the chef is?"

Tess snorted, not looking up from scrubbing at the table. "Nothing of the sort, Lance. Now, if you could maybe shut up and let me get back to  _doing my job_ , I would be ever so appreciative."

But Lance hardly seemed to be paying much attention to what she did and didn't appreciate. And why should she be surprised? After all, the only things that seemed to run through his mind was money, food, a fear of spiders, and, of course himself. And none of that exactly translated into  _Cares About What Others Think or Want,_ which was a shame.

"Tess?"

She spun around, a few stray droplets from her washcloth flying straight into Lance's face. "Leave. Me. Be."

"Alright, alright!" Lance relented, raising his hands in surrender, "it was worth a shot."

She snorted again, rolling her eyes.  _Sure_ _it was._

But instead of voicing her thoughts, she simply turned back around and returned to work, scrubbing harder at the stupid table than was really necessary, even at a usual hangout for all sorts of ruffians. She smiled when she heard the sound of Lance's retreating pace, the door opening and closing.

_Finally._

"Hey, Tess?"

She sighed.  _Right._ Nose was still here.

Tess knew that her brother's  _real_ name wasn't 'Nose'-- what kind of cruel parent named their kid after a body part?!-- but it had been so long since anyone had called him by his true name, it had somewhat become lost in the recesses of her mind.

"Yeah, Nose?" she asked, turning to face him, "what do  _you_ need?"

Big Nose raised his hands in surrender. "Geez, sor- _ry._ I just wanted to say that I'll be heading out for my date with Natasha, so you can just head home once you're finished."

She nodded her understanding, though there was a sudden fire in her eyes.

This was how things usually were between her and her brother. He was the one in charge, and she was the one who did his bidding. She was always in his shadow, waiting for his next set of directions... Or simply waiting on tables at the Duckling.

Either way, she lost.

Nose nodded too, and said a final good-bye before leaving his younger sister alone.

Tess looked around the restaurant. She had already cleaned a majority of the tables... Besides, she went above and beyond every other night. Nobody would mind it if she skipped out on a few tables just this once, right?

Heck, if she headed out now, she could probably get a majority of the evening to herself before Nose got back from his date with Natasha.

Without a second thought, she tossed the washcloth so that it land on top of the tap levers at the bar.

And she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun getting to write Quirin, honestly. Like, he's the exact opposite of me, and it's fun to get to explore that. XD


End file.
